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Diagnostic Imaging of the Thyroid and Radioiodine Therapy

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Surgery of the Thyroid and Parathyroid Glands

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Abstract

According to its superficial anatomic location, the thyroid gland may easily be assessed by sonography. Linear transducers with a width of 7.5–9 cm and frequencies of around 10 MHz are used. Sonography of the thyroid gland should also always be combined with a sonography of the surrounding soft tissues and of the cervical vessels. It allows the exact measurement of the thyroid volume and assessment of the parenchymal texture of the thyroid gland with identification of diffuse or focal abnormalities of the gland itself and of potential abnormalities within the surrounding structures.

Compared to other imaging modalities, thyroid sonography offers the best spatial resolution. Lateral resolution is 0.5–1 mm, and this is also valid for tiny calcifications. For solid or cystic lesions, the detection levels are 2 mm. By using the combination with colour Doppler sonography, additional information may be achieved regarding the local perfusion in focal or diffuse abnormalities.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Radiologie Nordost AG, Diagnosezentrum Rheintal, 9435, Heerbrugg, Switzerland

    Walter Wiesner M.D.

  2. Center for Thyroid Diseases, Department of Endocirnology, Spital Zollikerberg, Trichtenhauserstrasse 20, 8125, Zollikerberg, Switzerland

    Hermann Engel

  3. Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Basel, Petersgraben 4, CH-4031, Basel, Switzerland

    Wolfgang Steinbrich M.D. & Georg M. Bongartz M.D.

  4. Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET Center, Cantonal Hospital Aarau, Tellstrasse, CH-5000, Aarau, Switzerland

    Egbert U. Nitzsche M.D.

  5. Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Basel, Petersgraben 4, CH-4031, Basel, Switzerland

    Jan Mueller-Brand M.D.

  6. Department of Radiology, University Hospital Basel, Petersgraben 4, CH-4031, Basel, Switzerland

    Tilo Niemann M.D.

Authors
  1. Walter Wiesner M.D.
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  2. Hermann Engel
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  3. Wolfgang Steinbrich M.D.
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  4. Egbert U. Nitzsche M.D.
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  5. Jan Mueller-Brand M.D.
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  6. Tilo Niemann M.D.
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  7. Georg M. Bongartz M.D.
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Georg M. Bongartz M.D. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Chairman, Department of Surgery, University Hospital Basel, Spitalstr. 21, Basel, 4031, Switzerland

    Daniel Oertli

  2. Yale-New Haven Hospital, Department of Surgery, Yale University School of Medicine, Cedar Street 330FMB 102, New Haven, CT, 06520-8062, USA

    Robert Udelsman

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Wiesner, W. et al. (2012). Diagnostic Imaging of the Thyroid and Radioiodine Therapy. In: Oertli, D., Udelsman, R. (eds) Surgery of the Thyroid and Parathyroid Glands. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-23459-0_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-23459-0_4

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  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-23458-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-23459-0

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